She was born On October 16, 1890 in Italy. Her father moved his family to other city. When he died of malaria, Maria's mother had to struggle to feed her children.
Her family worked in the fields while she cooked and kept the house clean and watched her youngest sister Teresa. Though her family's circumstances were extremely difficult, they were very close and loved God.
On july 5, 1902, she was sitting outside the steps of her home sewing. As she concentrated on her sewing, Alessandro surprised her and grabbed her from her steps. When he tried to rape her, she cried that it was a mortal sin and warned he would go to hell.
When he persisted, she fought him and screamed, "No ! It is a sin ! God does not want it !" At her words, he began to choke her and she said she would rather die than submit. Upon hearing her words, he pulled out a knife and stabbed her eleven times.
When she attempted to reach the door, he stabbed her three more times then fled.
Maria's family returned home and found her bleeding on the floor and sent her to the nearest hospital for surgery. Unfortunately her wounds were beyond help. Halfway through the surgery, the man asked her, "Maria, think of me in Paradise."
As she lay on the table, she looked up at him and said, "Well, who knows which of us is going to be there first?"
She didn't realize how terrible her situation was, and the surgeon replied, "You, Maria."
She said, "Then I will think gladly of you. " She also mentioned concerns for her mother.
The next day, she forgave Alessandro and said she wanted to see him in Heaven with her. She died that day while looking upon an image of the Virgin Mary and holding a cross to her chest.
Shortly after her family discovered her, Alessandro was captured and admitted she was a physical virgin as he was unable to assault her. Alessandro was sentenced in jail but remained unrepentant until he had a dream that he was in a garden. Maria was there and gave him lilies, which immediately burned in his hands. When he woke up, he was a changed man.
After his released, he went to Maria's mother and begged her forgiveness, which she gave, saying "If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withhold forgiveness ?"
Maria is called a martyr because she fought against Alessandro's attempts at sexual sin ; however the most important aspects of her story are how she forgave her attacker - her concern for her enemy extending beyond death - and the miracle her forgiveness produced in his life.
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